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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE` JNO. GRUOL, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

ATTACHMENT OF ADJUSTABLE FOOT-BOARDS TO SPLINTS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,025, dated January 5, 1858.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN GRUoL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Device or Improvement of Surgery for Setting and Supporting or Keeping in Proper Position Fractured Limbs While Healing; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a side view of my improvement applied to a limb. Fig. 2, is a transverse vertical section of ditto. Fig. 3, is a detached view of the box containing the racks and pinions, the box being bisected longitudinally. Fig. 4, is a bottom view of ditto.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention consists in the combination of an adjustable foot piece with the side board of the instrument, as hereinafter set forth.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A, A, represents two boards or strips, the adjoining end of which are fitted in sockets (a) having each a rack (ZJ) attached. These racks are fitted and work in a box B, through which a shaft (c) passes, said shaft having a pinion upon it which pinion gears into the racks (b) (b), the pinion being between the two racks as plainly shown in Fig. 3. The sockets (a) also have guide bars (a) attached to them which guide bars are fitted and work in the box B.

The sockets, racks, guide bars and box are constructed of metal.

The shaft (c) has a thumb nut (e) at one end and a ratchet (f) is also placed upon it, said ratchet being at the outer side of the On the outer side of the box B a pawl C is attached, said pawl, when necessary catching into or between the teeth of the ratchet, the pawl being held to the ratchet by a spring The pawl is raised and retained in a certain position so that the ratchet will be free from the pawl, when necessary, a spring catch (7L) being employed for holding the pawl.

The lower board or strip A has a socket (2') attached to it, and an arm is attached at right angles to said socket, said arm having screws (7c) passing through it, the screws passing into a foot piece D and securing it to the arm. One of the screws passes through a curved slot in the arm and therefore allows the foot piece to be adjusted as desired. The foot piece by removing the screws may be reversed so that the device can be applied to either leg.

The manner in which the device is applied will be readily seen.

The two boards A, A, are secured to the limb by straps (o) as shown clearly in Fig. l, and the limb is then distended by turning the thumb nut (c) which causes the pinion (d) to force outward the two racksV (b) (Z9) and boards A, A.

The boards are kept in a distended state by the pawl C, and the device is allowed to remain attached to the limb until the ossifying principle has doneits work and is then removed.

By the above invention limbs may be set with facility andA in a perfect manner. The device or instrument may be applied to either the arms or legs, and the usual diiiiculty in setting broken limbs, viz, the shortening or contracting of them is avoided.

I am aware that in the patent of Geo. Jarvis, 1843, a rack and pinion are used for the purpose of giving the necessary extension of the side frame; therefore I disclaim such use of racks and pinions. ployment of an adjustable foot piece D with the board A is to the best of my knowledge and belief, a new feature in instruments of this description, and is productive of new and useful results. It permits the change of the instrument from one side of the leg to the other, or from one leg to the other. It also permits the resting of the foot in the exact position required, facilitates its re-adjustment when out of place, accommodates the instrument to feet of different sizes and forms, etc. Jarviss instrument requires the assistance of two persons in its But the emthis description and desire to secure by Let- 10 ters Patent is,

The combination of an adjustable foot piece D with the board A, substantially as set forth.

JOHN GRU OL.

Witnesses:

W. TUSCH, JOHN K. KRIEG. 

